. >> we want to get more information on this right now, john yang is in kabul for us with the latest. john, what do you know this morning? >> reporter: good morning, matt, as you say, the nine servicemen dead are americans, nbc news is being told and at least one american civilian is among the three injured. this happened as you say in zabul province in southeastern afghanistan. much of the territory there is controlled by the taliban and coalition forces led by the united states had been stepping up their efforts to take on the taliban in that area, to try to drive them out. this has been the deadliest year for coalition forces, the deadliest year for u.s. forces with today's crash, 351 americans haveied this year. matt? >> john, but as we say, according to american sources the cause of this is still under investigation and yet the taliban has already claimed responsibility. is that the norm in a situation like this? would they normally do something like that? >> reporter: it's very common, matt. as a matter of fact we got the call here at nbc news from a taliban spokesman claiming respon